LG Electronics (LG) announced the signing of a memorandum of understanding with Cerence Inc., which recently spun off from Nuance Communications, Inc. as an independent automotive software company, to develop a new software solution that integrates LG’s webOS Auto In-Vehicle Infotainment (IVI) system with Cerence ARK (AI Reference Kit).

Together, the companies aim to create and advance a more convenient in-car experience through voice commands that allow drivers and passengers to have far more control over car functions, navigation and multimedia content. The partnership is expected to deliver more efficient management of resources required to integrate Cerence ARK with webOS Auto, aiming to provide OEM and Tier 1 manufacturers with a pre-packaged, full-stack IVI software system that will shorten the time-to-market, "bring an immersive voice experience and rich content ecosystem to connected cars and improve the user experience inside the vehicle," according to the companies.

LG’s webOS Auto is a Linux-powered IVI platform for connected cars designed to provide OEM and tier-one manufacturers with flexibility for the next generation in-vehicle experience. Cerence ARK is a turnkey automotive product that enables automakers to quickly develop, deploy and manage a fully localized automotive voice assistant.